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Offline Flex

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #180 on: September 22, 2017, 01:40:24 AM »
TTFA technical director outlines plans for the sport.
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).


Anton Corneal, who was recently appointed as the technical director for the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA), has outlined his plans for the game locally, in the immediate future.

In a telephone interview, Corneal, the former T&T men’s team assistant coach and national Under-17 team tactician, said, “We have to look at the whole overall system, especially all the stakeholders (including) Primary Schools (and) Secondary Schools.

“To put the plan together, we have the elite programme which is ongoing right now, giving some of the advanced (Under-13) players the opportunity to play against each other,” Corneal continued. “We hope that each zone would continue training with their (boys and girls) teams. So we’re really trying to build from the bottom up.”

Among the coaches involved in the programme are Stuart Charles-Fevrier and Marlon Charles, who will oversee the respective boys and girls categories, as well as Clyde Leon and Ahkeela Mollon.

Corneal said, “This is something we hope can be sustainable (and) not just done for six months or a year. But I have to say the administration is supporting these programmes. A lot is being done behind the scenes, when it comes to the construction of new fields and possibly a home where we can keep weekend (and) regular camps for all the national teams at one venue. This is being spearheaded by the president David John-Williams.

“This is something we’ve asked for (a number of) years, to be able to have a place where all the national teams can come in and camp. There we’ll have a control over their diet, their rest, especially in preparation for tournaments.”

The TTFA’s Home For Football will be at Balmain, Couva, next to the Ato Boldon Stadium.

“Right now they’re building some additional fields and a 72-room hotel at the Stadium that would be able to house these teams,” said Corneal.

A major complaint about local football is the lack of one playing style, from the youth teams to the senior ranks.

“That is interesting because we have to figure out our strengths as a people, our strengths in the game and make sure that our strengths are seen in the way we play,” noted the ex-national striker. “We don’t need to hide our strengths. If our strengths are speed and carrying the ball, then we need to see that. If it is flair then we need to see some of that. We need to make sure that our strengths are seen in our style of playing.”

He continued, “It will be discussed among the coaches and we’ll take it from there. What is best for us may be a combination of what is best for our region (and) what has brought results.

“We have to look at the past to see what brought results for us,” ended Corneal.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline maxg

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #181 on: September 22, 2017, 07:14:43 AM »
No pay for months, cause ppl to quit,  is the only certain positive result comes to mind

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #182 on: September 22, 2017, 09:22:24 PM »
So much time has passed that I tend to forget.

But was Anton every paid the money owed to him by the TTFA?

What about Faustin and H. Charles??
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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #183 on: September 25, 2017, 03:41:14 PM »
Glad to see Anton back in the mix.
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Offline Flex

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #184 on: July 05, 2018, 05:27:56 AM »
Corneal outlines plans for T&T football development.
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).


ANTON CORNEAL, technical director of the TTFA (TT Football Association), yesterday outlined plans for football development, within the twin-island republic.

The plans, which will be conducted by the TTFA technical department, were conveyed to members of the media at the TTFA head office, Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.

Among the areas under the microscope are grassroots (with an eight-year plan), youth level and elite youth levels (with four-year plans respectively), national team, Pro League and amateur football.

Corneal announced that plans are afoot for a national Youth League tournament at the various fields at the completed Home of Football – the Ato Boldon Stadium, from 2019.

According to the former national striker, “I thought it was important that, sometimes the media (are) not aware of what is happening in the Association. And I thought it was unfair for us not to pass on the information.

“Coming through our media officer (Shaun) Fuentes, we decided to let them take a look at our development programme, the pathway for football from grassroots to senior, the pathway for amateur players, the pathway for elite players, and how they meet each other. Also, to give them a little insight into our coach education and our national youth teams, and the type of preparation they need.”

The TTFA technical director said, “Too many times we think development can be done in a year or in six months. It does take eight to 10 years to get a developed player. I thought this was a lovely environment for the media to ask questions and to find out a little bit more about the TTFA and its technical department.”

Asked about the technical department’s major plans, Corneal responded, “Long-term is to compete at the highest level, to qualify for Youth World Cups, (Men’s) World Cups, to be the top team in the Caribbean and to be in the top four teams in CONCACAF.

“Of course, there must be areas where we have to measure how we are developing. Some of them would be how we compete in our regional tournaments (and) the Gold Cup, how the U-15 boys and girls compete in their regional tournaments. So that’ll gives us an indication.”

Corneal spoke about the coaching development plans implemented by his group.

“We’ve had two (C License) courses in the last six months, we’ve had two B License courses in the last eight months, we’ve had two CONCACAF Grassroot courses,” he said. “We are not putting together an academy certification for all the coaching schools and academies in the nation.”

During the media session, Corneal revealed that the estimated four-year budget for those projects are $4.5 million.

“It does take money,” said the former national men’s team assistant coach. “We are the TTFA but all of this would have to be sanctioned by the Board and, of course, supported financially. We are also hoping that some sponsors come on board to support some of these programmes.”

Ex-national coach Muhammad Isa was the head of the grassroots programme, during his tenure as TTFA director of football, until his passing on Monday.

National men’s team coach Dennis Lawrence, national women’s team tactician Jamaal Shabazz and head of the elite programme Stuart Charles-Fevrier have also been involved in development plans.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Deeks

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #185 on: July 05, 2018, 02:41:28 PM »
It does take eight to 10 years to get a developed player.

That is very true for TT.

Offline maxg

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #186 on: July 05, 2018, 07:35:15 PM »
It does take eight to 10 years to get a developed player.

That is very true for TT.
Totally disagree, with both statements.
Maybe to produce a rocket scientist, or a triple specialist doctor, but not a footballer, not even an elite one or 20..You can buy that if y'all want...trick question, how long does it take a person to be a
« Last Edit: July 05, 2018, 07:43:38 PM by maxg »

Offline Deeks

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #187 on: July 05, 2018, 09:33:39 PM »
It does take eight to 10 years to get a developed player.

That is very true for TT.
Totally disagree, with both statements.
Maybe to produce a rocket scientist, or a triple specialist doctor, but not a footballer, not even an elite one or 20..You can buy that if y'all want...trick question, how long does it take a person to be a


Maxg, you get a good lil kid at 10, and coach him well. He is ready by 18. Maybe 20. Case in point Mbappe.

Offline maxg

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #188 on: July 06, 2018, 07:45:53 AM »
It does take eight to 10 years to get a developed player.

That is very true for TT.
Totally disagree, with both statements.
Maybe to produce a rocket scientist, or a triple specialist doctor, but not a footballer, not even an elite one or 20..You can buy that if y'all want...trick question, how long does it take a person to be a


Maxg, you get a good lil kid at 10, and coach him well. He is ready by 18. Maybe 20. Case in point Mbappe.
You can't be saying that a program to develop one Mbappe, will be beneficial to TT football. We need multiple players. We need a proper development program, yes, but unbiased recruitment and National selection. I saw youths playing small goal in Mandela park, who seemed to my inexperienced eye, quite capable of handling themselves. I know small goal is not National or International football. Yet, why are none of them called, main reason, they can't afford(time & money) to join a club, and thus not selected. They were not all good, maybe 2 out of 15 stood out, but maybe these were the potential Mbappe that we never get to see.
What was the program that produced a Archibald, Cummings, Yorke, Latapy, Garcia etc..yet where does our football stand today...Does ONE Mbappe, Ronaldo, Messi determine the success of a small country football development ? We don't need an Mbappe, we need a larger pool and unbiased National program. We definitely don't need a LOCAL selfish we vs them competition on any term, especially in the short term. We need to be working together, not arguing whether my plan better than yours. But football is NOT rocket science, don't make it out to be. True it's not easy for a small country (pool), but with proper selectors we can be better. For National team, We need to look outside as well, like everyone does, but for local development, we need to be on same page, and stop the fight down of each other. Am I fighting down Corneal plan, no. Totally rejecting it. He and his plan won't even survive 2 years given our history of admin and organization.   ;D 

Offline Deeks

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #189 on: July 06, 2018, 02:25:30 PM »
The problem with TTFA's plan is always continuity. They start something and after 2 years it tends to fade away. But effective continuity needs finance. It always comes down to that finance. Why them boys in Mandela park not in a club because they don't have time and money. You said it there. If they can get financial help, I bet you they will find the time. I don't know why the grooming of players appears to be so damn difficult these days.  TT eh now start playing football. The Federation is  over 100 years old.

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #190 on: July 06, 2018, 02:39:22 PM »
The problem with TTFA's plan is always continuity. They start something and after 2 years it tends to fade away. But effective continuity needs finance. It always comes down to that finance. Why them boys in Mandela park not in a club because they don't have time and money. You said it there. If they can get financial help, I bet you they will find the time. I don't know why the grooming of players appears to be so damn difficult these days.  TT eh now start playing football. The Federation is  over 100 years old.

Anton said to Muhammad Isa regarding Leston Paul: "Quite Mayaro?"

Offline Flex

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #191 on: July 14, 2018, 12:40:40 AM »
Corneal outlines plans for T&T football development.
TTFA Media.


Anton Corneal, technical director of the TTFA earlier this month outlined plans for football development, within the twin-island republic.

The plans, which will be conducted by the TTFA technical department, were conveyed to members of the media at the TTFA head office, Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva.

Among the areas under the microscope are grassroots (with an eight-year plan), youth level and elite youth levels (with four-year plans respectively), national team, Pro League and amateur football.

Corneal announced that plans are afoot for a national Youth League tournament at the various fields at the completed Home of Football – the Ato Boldon Stadium, from 2019.

According to the former national striker, “I thought it was important that, sometimes the media (are) not aware of what is happening in the Association. And I thought it was unfair for us not to pass on the information.

“Coming through our media officer (Shaun) Fuentes, we decided to let them take a look at our development programme, the pathway for football from grassroots to senior, the pathway for amateur players, the pathway for elite players, and how they meet each other. Also, to give them a little insight into our coach education and our national youth teams, and the type of preparation they need.”

The TTFA technical director said, “Too many times we think development can be done in a year or in six months. It does take eight to 10 years to get a developed player. I thought this was a lovely environment for the media to ask questions and to find out a little bit more about the TTFA and its technical department.”

Asked about the technical department’s major plans, Corneal responded, “Long-term is to compete at the highest level, to qualify for Youth World Cups, (Men’s) World Cups, to be the top team in the Caribbean and to be in the top four teams in CONCACAF.

“Of course, there must be areas where we have to measure how we are developing. Some of them would be how we compete in our regional tournaments (and) the Gold Cup, how the U-15 boys and girls compete in their regional tournaments. So that’ll gives us an indication.”

Corneal spoke about the coaching development plans implemented by his group.

“We’ve had two (C License) courses in the last six months, we’ve had two B License courses in the last eight months, we’ve had two CONCACAF Grassroot courses,” he said. “We are not putting together an academy certification for all the coaching schools and academies in the nation.”

During the media session, Corneal revealed that the estimated four-year budget for those projects are $4.5 million.

“It does take money,” said the former national men’s team assistant coach. “We are the TTFA but all of this would have to be sanctioned by the Board and, of course, supported financially. We are also hoping that some sponsors come on board to support some of these programmes.”

Ex-national coach Muhammad Isa was the head of the grassroots programme, during his tenure as TTFA director of football, until his passing on Monday.

National men’s team coach Dennis Lawrence, national women’s team tactician Jamaal Shabazz and head of the elite programme Stuart Charles-Fevrier have also been involved in development plans.

TTFA Technical Development Forum with the Media - Part 1

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

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Corneal takes over as Caretaker Coach of Women’s Senior Team
« Reply #192 on: August 16, 2018, 12:07:39 PM »
Corneal takes over as Caretaker Coach of Women’s Senior Team
TTFA Media


The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association wishes to advise that Anton Corneal will serve in the capacity of caretaker coach of the National Senior Women’s Team for its upcoming campaign in the CONCACAF Caribbean Final Round of World Cup qualification in Kingston. Jamaica from August 25th-September 2nd.

This comes following the resignation of Jamaal Shabazz as head coach of the Women’s Senior Team earlier this month.

Shawn Cooper will serve as Assistant Coach to Corneal. Cooper is a former National Under 17 Men’s team head coach.

In a brief statement, Corneal said, “The team has to be managed carefully as there are many players with niggling injuries. The aim at this point will be to advance from this round into the CONCACAF final phase which will then give us a few weeks to prepare for that final leg in the United States.

“The group of players is very eager to enter the upcoming round of matches and we will continue our preparations in the best possible manner with a good spirit heading into the opening match against Cuba,” the TTFA Technical Director told TTFA Media.

The five-nation Final Group competition kicks off on August 25th with T&T facing Cuba in the opening match at the National Stadium in Kingston. The other three nations competing are hosts Jamaica, Haiti and Antigua/Barbuda.  The top three teams will advance to the CONCACAF Final round in the United States in October. Hosts USA, Canada and Mexico are already through to the Final stage and will be joined by the Caribbean’s top three as well as two countries from Central America.

The competition format for the CONCACAF Final phase will see the  eight participating teams sorted into two groups of four for the Group Stage. After round-robin play, the two group winners, plus the two second-place finishers will advance to the semifinals. The semifinal winners will automatically qualify to the championship final and the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The semifinal losers will dispute the tournament’s third place match for the last direct available ticket to the World Cup.The fourth place finisher will dispute a home-and-away intercontinental playoff, with the third-place finisher of CONMEBOL’s 2018 Women’s Copa America. The winner of the playoff will qualify to the World Cup.

T&T’s Schedule in Jamaica
T&T vs Cuba, August 25th, National Stadium
T&T vs Antigua/Barbuda, August 29th, National Stadium
T&T vs Jamaica, August 31st, National Stadium
T&T vs Bermuda, September 2nd, National Stadium
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Offline Flex

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #193 on: August 20, 2018, 12:36:27 AM »
Who appointed Corneal? TTFA’s internal structure questioned again as board allegedly bypassed.
By Amiel Mohammed (Wired868).


The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) has again been accused of violating its constitution, after today’s appointment of Anton Corneal as caretaker head coach of the National Senior Women’s Team with Shawn Cooper as his assistant.

Corneal and Cooper will lead the Women Soca Warriors into the five-team 2018 Caribbean Championships in Jamaica from 25 August to 2 September. The top three nations advance to October’s Concacaf Championship, which serves as the 2019 France Women’s World Cup qualifying series.

The problem, as TTFA board member and Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL) Keith Look Loy pointed out, is that neither appointment was made by the football body’s board of directors, as mandated by the TTFA constitution.

Article 36 (j) of the TTFA Constitution states: “The Board of Directors: shall appoint the coaches for the representative teams and other technical staff.”

However, the TTFA board has not met since April and president David John-Williams did not call a meeting to discuss the appointment of a new women’s coach, after Jamaal Shabazz quit the post earlier this month.

TTFA general secretary Justin Latapy-George said Corneal, in his role as technical director, and Southern Football Association (SFA) president Richard Quan Chan “took the lead” on the appointments and would be better placed to comment.

Article 47 of the TTFA constitution spells out the role of the technical committee: “The Technical and Development Committee shall primarily analyse the basic aspects of football training and technical development.”

The technical committee has no power to hire but can only make recommendations to the TTFA board. So, if the board did not hire Corneal as women’s coach, then who did?

Wired868 failed to reach John-Williams, Corneal or Quan Chan for comment.

Whether a technical committee actually exists is also debatable. The committee was hobbled, almost 18 months ago, when the appointment of Dennis Lawrence as Soca Warriors head coach was followed by the resignations of chairman Dexter Skeene, vice-chairman Dr Alvin Henderson and member Errol Lovell.

In February 2018, the technical committee was shut down altogether. Look Loy told Wired868 that the board was not informed of any activity on the committee ever since and does not know what the body that recommended the current Women’s Team coaches looks like.

“Did Corneal recommend himself?” Look Loy asked Latapy-George. “When was Quan Chan appointed chairman of the technical committee?”

Up to the time of publication, the questions remain unanswered.

The TTSL president insisted, via letter to Latapy-George, that all information regarding the coaching appointments and the conditions, contractual or otherwise, which they would operate under should be brought before the board, as it is the only body with the authority to award contracts.

At present, the TTFA board comprises of: John-Williams (president), Joanne Salazar and Ewing Davis (vice-presidents), Karanjabari Williams (NFA), Richard Quan Chan (Southern FA), Anthony Moore (Tobago FA), Joseph Taylor (Trinidad and Tobago Football Referees Association), Sharon Warrick (Women’s League Football), Julia Baptiste (TT Pro League), Collin Partap (CFA) and Look Loy (TTSL).

TTFA vice-president Allan Warner is suspended for repeated absences, Sherwyn Dyer is sidelined due to the non-compliance of the Eastern Counties Football Union (ECFU) and the Eastern Football Association (EFA) is yet to replace its representative, Wayne Cunningham, who was blocked from serving on the board due to his role as a TTFA press officer.

The Women Warriors, who are the defending Caribbean champions, travel to Kingston next week where they will face Cuba in CFU action on 25 August.

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #194 on: September 05, 2018, 12:52:33 AM »
Corneal: TTFA to decide on women’s coaching job.
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).


ANTON CORNEAL, caretaker coach of the national women’s football team, said that the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) will have to decide on a full-time coach for the squad, ahead of the CONCACAF Women’s Championship in the United States.

Corneal guided the TT women’s team to second spot, in the five-team CONCACAF Caribbean Women’s Qualifiers (final round group) in Kingston, Jamaica last week.

In an interview yesterday, Corneal said, “The TTFA will have to come up with that decision.”

Hosts Jamaica won the CONCACAF Caribbean final round group with a maximum 12 points from four games, followed by TT (nine points), Cuba (six points), Bermuda (three points) and Antigua/Barbuda (zero points).

TT defeated Cuba 3-2 (August 25) and Antigua/Barbuda 5-0 (August 29) before suffering a 4-1 whipping by Jamaica last Friday. The TT team rebounded with a 3-0 victory over Bermuda on Sunday.

Jamaica, TT and Cuba advanced to the CONCACAF Championship, which will take place from October 4-17.

Yesterday, CONCACAF announced the two first round groups, with TT drawn with US, Mexico and Panama in Group A, and the quartet of Jamaica, Cuba, Canada and Costa Rica in Group B.

The finalists, and the third-placed finisher, will progress to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. The fourth-placed team will have a home-and-away playoff, with the third-placed team from CONMEBOL (South America) for a spot in France.

With only a month to go before the CONCACAF Championship kicks off, Corneal, who took over the team after Jamaal Shabazz resigned in July, is unsure who will be given the task of conducting the training sessions.

“That’s going to be decided upon (soon) I’m sure,” he said. “If (the team needs) any advice, I’ll be willing to advice only. But I’ll let the TTFA, through (Richard) Quan Chan, who is the chairman of the technical committee, come up with that decision.”

Corneal added, “Time is of the essence, so something needs to be done in the next few days.”

Concerning the results in Jamaica, Corneal commented, “For the cards dealt, we got through to the next round which was the mission.”

He continued, “The preparation, because of logistics, was not the best. We had to deal with so many various issues that affected the preparation, some of them beyond our control and others that (mean) we probably need to plan a little better in advance.”

Two players who returned to the TT squad for this competition, Kayla Taylor and Kennya “Ya Ya” Cordner, did the bulk of the scoring, with seven and three goals respectively.

Corneal, who is also the TTFA technical director, described their performances as “quite good”.

He said, “They meshed right away. Both of them are very opportunist in their play. They scored most of our goals.”

About the team’s displays overall, Corneal noted, “We did well in spurts, both defensively and in attack. I think the girls understand their strengths. The weakness will surely be preparation, the ability to prepare together as a team for a long period.

“If that is not done, it’s difficult to play at the CONCACAF level,” he added.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #195 on: September 11, 2018, 05:17:29 AM »
No need for brand new coach.
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).


TTFA to make interim appointment for CONCACAF qualifiers

THE TT Football Association (TTFA) is set to make another short-term coaching appointment for the national women’s team, as they continue their quest for qualification for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.

The T&T women’s squad will participate in the eight-team CONCACAF Women’s Championship in the United States from October 4-17.

TT have been drawn in Group A, alongside hosts United States, Mexico and Panama, with Canada, Cuba, Jamaica and Panama listed in Group B.

The finalists, and the third-placed finishers, will advance to the World Cup, with the fourth-placed team progressing to a home-and-away playoff with the third-placed South American (CONMEBOL) team.

Richard Quan Chan, head of the TTFA technical department, said in an interview yesterday, a decision about the coaching position was made during a meeting last Wednesday involving president David John-Williams, general secretary Justin Latapy-George and technical director Anton Corneal — who coached the team during the recent CONCACAF Caribbean Women’s Qualifiers (final round group) in Kingston, Jamaica. “We have not yet informed the person we have selected,” said Quan Chan. “I prefer that we tell him first and (the media) after.”

Quan Chan pointed out, “It is an appointment up till the end of the qualifiers. After that we’ll have to sit with the entire group and look at what is going to happen, based on qualification. And, (depending on) what happened in the tournament, we might then look for a long-term coach to prepare for the next sets of tournaments.”

The TTFA technical department head stressed that it may be too tough a task for a new coach to get acclimatised with the players, with less than a month before the start of the CONCACAF Championship.

“At this point, to bring in a coach with three weeks till the start of the tournament, somebody who is totally new, is not always the best thing,” he said. “I don’t know how well somebody can acquaint themselves with the group, as it exists.

“We prefer if it’s somebody who is acquainted or who knows them,” he added. “After (the CONCACAF qualifiers), he would be in line for any appointment we’ll make.”

Corneal and Shawn Cooper, who served as his assistant in Jamaica, are the potential candidates for the T&T women’s team coaching role. Corneal, the former national striker and Under-17 men’s team coach, admitted this issue may have an effect on the players’ morale.

“It could affect the team,” Corneal said yesterday. “How strong do you want the girls to really be? I’m sure this is probably not the only issue that they have to deal with.”

Cooper conducted a session with the team yesterday morning, and Corneal noted, “He has experience, so I trust him that he’ll have a good idea.

Of course, we do consult each other as fellow coaches.”

However, Corneal, the former men’s team assistant coach, lamented the fact that no practice games have yet been arranged for the team ahead of their next stage of World Cup qualifiers.

Corneal, who admitted recently he has been unpaid by the TTFA for the past few months, is still performing his duties as the technical director. “I’m doing it,” he said, regarding his portfolio as technical director. “Whatever is requested of me, I have to do it, in the capacity of what I can do.

“I’m not in a position to travel around, but if the (general secretary) would need any information, I’m happy to reply to anything that I can help with. I don’t go down to (the) office, if they need any information, they would call me.” He stressed, “I work from home. I want to give them time to rectify my situation.”

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #196 on: January 15, 2019, 01:40:02 AM »
Corneal withholds services over unpaid salaries.
By Walter Alibey (Guardian).


An­ton Corneal, Tech­ni­cal Di­rec­tor of lo­cal foot­ball has said he will be with­hold­ing his ser­vices with im­me­di­ate ef­fect un­til monies owed to him for salaries are paid.

Corneal in a let­ter to the T&T Foot­ball As­so­ci­a­tion and copied to oth­er mem­bers of foot­ball fra­ter­ni­ty said his last paid salary was in June last year. Al­so, the agreed con­trac­tu­al arrange­ment to pay off his pre­vi­ous ar­rears has not been ho­n­oured since De­cem­ber 2017.

Corneal, con­sid­ered one of the most qual­i­fied coach­es in the Caribbean, wrote to David John-Williams, pres­i­dent of the em­bat­tled foot­ball as­so­ci­a­tion on many oc­ca­sions in an at­tempt to re­ceive monies owed to him. But his words ap­pear to have fall­en on deaf ears, with lit­tle or no ac­tion com­ing from the lo­cal foot­ball boss.

Ac­cord­ing to Corneal, "Af­ter days of con­tem­pla­tion and le­gal ad­vice, I have de­cid­ed to with­hold my ser­vices as Tech­ni­cal Di­rec­tor of the TTFA un­til they ho­n­our my con­trac­tu­al agree­ments made in Au­gust of 2017. I have been promised salary pay­ments con­tin­u­ous­ly but to no avail. I had meet­ings with the Pres­i­dent and the Gen­er­al Sec­re­tary in­di­cat­ing the in­con­ve­nience of not be­ing paid, and the toll it is tak­ing on my life."

Corneal said in Sep­tem­ber last year he had to rent a ve­hi­cle on two oc­ca­sions to per­form his du­ties. Then he had to trans­port FI­FA and CON­CA­CAF of­fi­cials.

Corneal joins his col­league, Na­tion­al un­der-15, 17 and 20 coach Rus­sell Lat­apy in the strug­gle for salaries, by both with­hold­ing their ser­vices with­in the past year. But they re­turned to their jobs for the CON­CA­CAF Women's and Un­der-20 Men's Qual­i­fiers late last year re­spec­tive­ly, with the hope that pay­ments will be forth­com­ing.

In­stead Corneal said the sit­u­a­tion has been tak­ing a toll on his health and fam­i­ly life and he has been con­sid­er­ing seek­ing oth­er means of in­come to sup­port his fam­i­ly.

"In De­cem­ber, I wrote to the Pres­i­dent again, ask­ing him to use his of­fice to pay me dur­ing the fes­tive sea­son, again to­tal­ly ig­nored, not even an ac­knowl­edge­ment of the mail. Then fi­nal­ly on Jan­u­ary 5th 2019, I was called to a meet­ing with the Pres­i­dent, Vice Pres­i­dent, and the Chair­man of the Tech­ni­cal Com­mit­tee, where it was in­di­cat­ed to me, they will pay off my cur­rent salaries at the end of Feb­ru­ary 2019, but will not be pay­ing the agreed pay­ments to my ar­rears and /or any arrange­ment con­cern­ing trans­porta­tion, which is clear­ly stat­ed in my con­trac­tu­al agree­ment with TTFA," Corneal ex­plained.

He is set to hand in a 2018 year­ly re­port in­di­cat­ing the sta­tus of the na­tion­al teams' pro­grammes and the chal­lenges en­coun­tered dur­ing the year but af­ter­wards will await word from Justin Lat­apy-George, the TTFA's gen­er­al sec­re­tary be­fore re­sum­ing work as the tech­ni­cal di­rec­tor.

Con­tact­ed yes­ter­day John-Williams told Guardian Sports his as­so­ci­a­tion, in spite of the dif­fi­cult fi­nan­cial times faced, was still able to pay Corneal $500,000 out of the $3 mil­lion owed to him. He be­lieves Corneal's de­ci­sion to copy his let­ter to Clynt Tay­lor, gen­er­al sec­re­tary of the Cen­tral Foot­ball As­so­ci­a­tion (CFA), William Wal­lace, pres­i­dent of the Sec­ondary Schools Foot­ball League (SS­FL) and An­tho­ny Har­ford, pres­i­dent of the North­ern Foot­ball As­so­ci­a­tion (NFA), all of whom has sup­port a vote to have him re­moved as pres­i­dent re­cent­ly, was a bla­tant show that he has an agen­da.

He promised a re­lease from the TTFA will be sent to the me­dia to­day but said a de­ci­sion to pay out cur­rent salaries will be done next month.

Corneal said he has seen the de­vel­op­ment of lo­cal foot­ball suf­fer and coach­es grow dis­en­chant­ed due to the cur­rent sit­u­a­tion.

RELATED NEWS

Corneal cries foul again.
By Joel Bailey (Newsday).


Look Loy calls for FIFA intervention as…

ANTON CORNEAL has decided to down tools and withhold his services as technical director of the TT Football Association (TTFA), until his outstanding salary is paid.

This move is another stain on the beleaguered TTFA and its president David John-Williams, whom Corneal has accused of disrespectful and inhumane treatment.

TTFA board member Keith Look Loy yesterday issued a call to FIFA to intervene, since the technical director is a crucial component in any member association.

Corneal, the former national midfielder and youth team coach, wrote to the TTFA yesterday saying his financial burdens were too much to bear and he needed to take a stand in order to get the salary owed since July 2018.

This is not the first time that the 54-year-old Corneal has been at loggerheads with the TTFA over unpaid salaries. He was appointed technical director by then president Lennox Watson in January 2012, but stepped down in April 2014, when Raymond Tim Kee was at the helm. Months later, Corneal took legal action against the local governing body to get his outstanding salary, estimated at $3 million.

On August 9, 2017, he was rehired as TTFA technical director by John-Williams for two years with an option to extend.

At the time Corneal, son of football great Alvin Corneal, said, “We came up with a long-term agreement to pay me off on a contractual basis. The courts would have done nearly the same thing, so this is a better way.”

Corneal also revealed TTFA has not paid his arrears from his previous tenure since December 2017.

In his e-mail to the TTFA, Corneal said, “I have been promised salary payments continuously but to no avail. I had meetings with the president and the general secretary (Justin Latapy-George) indicating the inconvenience of not being paid, and the toll it is taking on my life.

“In September 2018, I explained to the president, I am having to borrow a vehicle to perform my duties and on two occasions having a rent a vehicle to transport FIFA and CONCACAF officials.

“I am tired of the disrespect and inhumane manner in which I have been treated by the (TTFA) president.”

John-Williams, whose primary focus of late is the controversial Home of Football project in Couva, has remained silent in the face of criticism of his leadership style by board members, coaches (notably T&T youth team’s Russell Latapy), men and women players and the US Embassy's chargé d’affaires John McIntyre.

Corneal wrote, “In December I wrote to the president again, asking him to use his office to pay me during the festive season – again totally ignored, not even an acknowledgement of the mail.”

On January 5, Corneal said he was called to a meeting with John-Williams, vice-president Ewing Davis and chairman of the technical committee Richard Quan Chan and told his salary would be paid at the end of next month.

But the TTFA would “not be paying the agreed payments to my arrears and/or any arrangement concerning transportation, which is clearly stated in my contractual agreement with (the) TTFA.”

He said his financial constraints have affected both his health and his family life, and he may have to look for other sources of income.

Corneal continued, “I have seen the development of football suffer in our country, coaches working in our programmes disenchanted by the way they are treated by the (TTFA).”

Contacted yesterday, he would only say that his decision to withhold his services would take immediate effect.

Several calls to John-Williams’ phone went unanswered yesterday, Latapy-George declined comment, as he alluded to his current situation with the TTFA. Latapy-George, brother of ex-T&T captain Russell, has been working on a month-to-month contract since his term expired on November 30.

The outspoken Look Loy, a fierce critic of John-Williams’ leadership style, said, “I believe that it is time for FIFA to intervene in the TTFA. The technical-director position is one that is mandated by FIFA regulations and one that FIFA sets aside money for national associations to pay someone to fill the post and perform their duties.

“While the grass is growing, the horse is starving. We have (funds) coming in, by way of FIFA subventions, and all (the TTFA) is taking about is Home of Football, while football is collapsing all around our ears. The worst is yet to come where this presidency is concerned.”

Look Loy, the president of the TT Super League, said, “This is further evidence of the validity of the motion to dismiss John-Williams that was submitted by my club, FC Santa Rosa, to the 2018 annual general meeting.

“In the week after that motion was not passed, we had the futsal (team) winning their judgement against the TTFA and the men’s team saying that they’re not going to be playing because they’ve not been paid.”

Look Loy called for an urgent board meeting to discuss the respective positions of Corneal, Latapy-George and T&T men’s coach Dennis Lawrence, whose contract is set to end on January 30.

Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Shamfa Cudjoe yesterday said her ministry could not get involved, as national sporting bodies are all autonomous.

She said, “I know there have been some challenges within the TTFA. They had some long-standing bills (and salaries) that they would have incurred over the years. We (will) provide assistance as it relates to development programmes. We are yet to receive a proposal or a request from TTFA as it relates to assisting or paying coaches, or their programmes.”

Is just ah sweat.
By Stephon Nicholas (Newsday)


T&T football in crisis but…

IN July last year, TT Football Association technical director Anton Corneal sought to close the disconnect between the local football body and the media by outlining the organisation's plans for the short, medium and long term.

Corneal and T&T head coach Dennis Lawrence addressed a select group of journalists at the TTFA office, Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, revealing their goals and going in-depth about how they intended to achieve them.

Given all that has transpired since then, one can't help laugh and recall the words of boxing legend Mike Tyson: "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."

Make no mistake, Corneal, entrusted to chart the way forward for T&T football from the youth to senior level, has taken his share of punches.

This last blow has him on one knee contemplating throwing in the towel. Since that meeting in July, Corneal has not been paid his salary and has now downed tools in protest.

This isn't Corneal's debut in the game of cat and mouse that TTFA coaches and officials have to play to get paid. Corneal is a veteran in this game and has come out on the losing end – even if he won in the courtroom.

In April 2014, Corneal, who was technical director then, quit after going unpaid for over a year. He was owed close to $3.5 million.

After winning a lawsuit against the TTFA, Corneal was rehired in the same capacity with an agreement thathe would be paid the money owed to him as well as his new salary.

But in an e-mail to the board yesterday, Corneal said, "My last paid salary was June 2018, and the agreed contractual arrangement to pay off my owed arrears has not been honoured since December 2017...I honestly believe this situation is affecting my health, it is eroding my family life and forcing me to find other means of income to support my family."

Where is our football headed if Corneal's portfolio is not respected enough to find the money to pay him? Who will be playing at the Home of Football when it is completed?

At that round-table discussion with the media last year, Corneal divulged the TTFA's goals: “Long-term is to compete at the highest level, to qualify for Youth World Cups, (Men’s) World Cups, to be the top team in the Caribbean and to be in the top four teams in CONCACAF.

“Of course, there must be areas where we have to measure how we are developing. Some of them would be how we compete in our regional tournaments (and) the Gold Cup, how the under-15 boys and girls compete in their regional tournaments. So that’ll give us an indication.”

The signs so far are not good. The under-15 girls failed even to arrive at the 2018 CONCACAF Championships because the TTFA bungled their visa applications. The National Under-20s' quest to qualify for the World Cup was doomed because the team failed to train for close to three months before the CONCACAF Championships in November last year. Coach Russell Latapy, in an exclusive interview with Newsday, said he and his staff had not been paid and were unable to hold training sessions. A late training camp just before the tournament was never going to be enough, and "The Little Magician" was unable to conjure any magic, as T&T exited at the group stage.

The national women's team also expressed a similar tale of salaries and contracts not being honoured in a timely manner. It takes no genius to know what happened to their World Cup campaign last year.

And like a broken record, the men's team recently complained about not being paid for over a year, even though salaries have been slashed by over 50 per cent. Funding and sponsorship are hard to come by, but TT footballers have every right to strike for being unpaid – and they've threatened to do so vs Wales in March!

Firing former coach Stephen Hart to bring Tom Saintfiet was also another move that backfired horrendously and cost TT a place at the 2017 Gold Cup.

The current state of local football is bad.

But TTFA head David John-Williams remains silent on the disaster that is unfolding – save for boasting about the Home of Football project.

What really is the plan going forward? Can we trust in the success of the projects, development programmes and template expounded upon by Corneal last year – when he can't even be paid? It might be time to just take ah sweat instead of taking football seriously.

Skate tackles must be banned from all football locally. After all, is just ah sweat. To the former Central FC footballer who was playing a hockey post tournament for $10,000 in Sangre Grande two days before a CONCACAF Champions League match, I must apologise for castigating you among my peers. You were ahead of your time. Is just ah sweat. Pro League clubs should remove the ban imposed on their players competing in minor league football. Is just ah sweat.

Organised football at the highest level is dying. Let's just take ah sweat.

« Last Edit: January 15, 2019, 01:44:00 AM by Flex »
The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline asylumseeker

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #197 on: January 15, 2019, 07:02:44 PM »
Where's the steups emoji?

Offline Deeks

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #198 on: January 15, 2019, 09:22:44 PM »
There is a limit to what a man can take.

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #199 on: January 16, 2019, 02:24:12 AM »
He held on a long time - I honestly thought he'd have givne up quicker given his previous experience. It doesn't bode well for the B-license training that's currently going on...

Offline Flex

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #200 on: August 19, 2019, 12:19:29 AM »
Corneal: They’re operating by guess; you can’t play trial and error with the future of our football!.
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868).


“[Trinidad and Tobago Boys National Under-15 head coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier] has spoken now about things that need to change but those things should have been changed two years ago. That means they didn’t have the required experience or weren’t sure about what is supposed to happen at that age group. They were operating by guess…

“You can’t play trial and error with our nation’s children and the future of our football, especially when you have such a talented bunch like our Boys National Under-15 Team.”

Outgoing Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) technical director Anton Corneal, who was a member of the Soca Warriors coaching staff for the Germany 2006 World Cup and the 2007 and 2009 World Youth Cups, sits down with Wired868 for a wide-ranging interview on the local game:

Wired868: Can you give us an update on the current football landscape as technical director?

Anton Corneal: Well, first off, I am no longer employed with the TTFA. My contract was up for renewal at the end of July and I met with the general secretary, Camara David, last Tuesday. (I was a little surprised that the president [David John-Williams] was not there.)

Camara said that they could not financially afford to continue with me. I’m assuming that decision came out of a board meeting but I don’t know that.

Wired868: Have you heard from the TTFA president since, even if just to thank you for your service?

Corneal: I have not heard from the President but I’m not surprised; it is consistent with how I was treated for the last two years. I think the position of technical director has been treated with disrespect. So [there was] no contact but it is par for the course.

Wired868: Can you give me examples of what you considered disrespect?

Corneal: Well my financial arrangement has not been honoured. So I’m talking about unpaid salaries and promises of being paid that were not kept. At present, we are in court about it so I don’t want to go into too many specifics. But take a simple thing as just being able to sit down and communicate the renewal of my contract. It ends up being done by the General Secretary and only happened after it was expired.

Wired868: What were you told by the TTFA for the months when you did not get paid?

Corneal: Nothing at all. I just would not get a salary at the end of the month. It was not even communicated to me that I was not going to be paid. I get paid by cheque and at first, I would call the office to find out if there was a payment ready for me or when I could expect it; but I stopped doing that a long time ago. It was a waste of time.

I don’t think anyone should have to go through what I did… I even had to write to them in January because it got ridiculous. I am also aware of so many people not being paid [by the current administration]. It is a very unhealthy environment.

A couple of months ago, I found out that money was disbursed to some people who were owed money at the end of May; and I didn’t get any money… I think it was disrespectful and vindictive. They are aware of how much money is owed to me and to say they would get a lump sum of money and pay other people and not pay me—it has to be something personal… Even when I said I was withholding my services, I still did everything asked of me. Even if I did not go down to the office every day, every request made of me was honoured.

[…] I would love to know who makes that decision on who gets paid and who doesn’t. Is that a decision that comes from one person? Or the board? Or the so-called emergency committee?
It is a pity to know that the ‘hierarchy’ is surrounded by people who you would think know better but wouldn’t say or do anything. There are some former players, coaches and administrators at the highest level who are still there in the TTFA and they are just afraid to do anything. I am seeing our game being affected by that. It is difficult to sit around and not be able to do anything and just watch our football go deeper in a hole.

Wired868: How are you seeing our administrative problems directly affecting our football?

Corneal: Well, with the national youth teams not being able to train for one—such as the [Men’s] Under-20 and Under-17 Teams. Look at the late decisions to put coaches in place for the U-17s. It is admirable that they got Stern [John] to do it but did he have time to do any real development? Or not paying the U-20 where Russell [Latapy] was strong enough to stand up for his team. What sort of development and exposure were those players given at such a critical stage before they transition into senior football? I know it is tough financially but how they deal with it is an issue.

And then our grassroots programme has collapsed. We started a programme with [the late] Muhammad Isa and myself that went through the country and then it stopped because we are unable to fulfil our financial obligations to 65 coaches. Some of these coaches are daily paid workers who went out there every Wednesday to work for the TTFA but were being paid as much as six months late. Stuff like that is hurting the smooth running of our football. Remember these are people you are going to have to turn to again at some point.

I think the biggest issue with the current hierarchy is their inability to communicate and the inability to deal with people and to converse with them. These are things you must have in a leader.

Wired868: Can you give us more details on the grassroots programme and its aims? When did it start and stop?

Corneal: The programme started in September or October 2017. We trained once a week with 10 and 11 year olds at eight venues across the country including Tobago. We were trying to get 80 to 100 kids per venue with half the amount in girls—because we were trying to grow the girls programme. It was about getting the children to come out, love the game and do basic technical work to get a foundation.

We probably had 1,600 to 2,000 kids when the programme was at its peak. But then it stopped in one zone, I think it was Central, by the middle of April 2018 and all the others stopped in June of that same year. We were supposed to continue it from September through to December but we couldn’t. It just came to a halt.

There was a lack of communication, a lack of financial planning and we were not in a position to even know what the budget looked like. If we knew, we could reassess what’s possible and what is not possible. But we cannot ask coaches and administrators to get involved in a programme knowing we cannot support it. I never knew what finances were available for the programme or was involved in the decision-making.

Wired868: How did this compare to the grassroots programme under former president Raymond Tim Kee?

Corneal: The other programme [under Tim Kee] was one where you moved around from area to area to meet the kids. So we went to areas like Manzanilla, Toco, Blanchisseuse, Cedros and so on. This one was set in zones, so it is improvement on the last programme because now the kids are together more regularly and there is more continuity. This programme [under John-Williams] has more potential, although I liked the idea of going to shorelines and areas that don’t have mainstream football. I think that should be done too. Those players need to be exposed to the game because every player is important to us.

Wired868: In January, you wrote a letter to the TTFA board that complained of inhumane treatment by the president and urged members to step forward and save football. What feedback did you get?

Corneal: That call was made because of what was done to me […] and also from seeing our football being hurt. Our timeline to develop players is between 12 and 16 years old and every week missed hurts the development of our players. When I see that is not happening, I wonder if we are helping or hurting the game.

A lot of people [within the TTFA] agreed with me but nobody wants to come out and say anything; they are afraid to do the right thing… Teams are not training, staff are not paid, programmes are being affected; and they sit around and do nothing.

My letter brought awareness to a lot more people, especially in and around the Association, who claimed they didn’t understand what was happening or my situation. But you know what? It did not change anything. When you speak to them, they say all the right things one on one. They know what is right you know—but they will not go against the grain. They won’t put the country first.

For example, we can’t afford to blacklist coaches. Okay, we can’t get some coaches because of finances; but what about having detailed discussions with them to try to find a solution. Have we tried that? But those discussions aren’t done… Our programmes are falling apart. I don’t need to say anything, just look around at our football environment now.

Wired868: In the past, coaches who picked up trophies at any level eventually got the chance to take a national team. What do you make of how coaches get hired now?

Corneal: You are right. And I feel hurt that we are not able to see this at the administrative level. We are not having discussions to think about who are the coaches doing well at youth football and showing that level of success consistently; and what ways can we find to improve them. I can imagine how frustrated some coaches are because this is their profession and livelihood and they would dream about achieving at the highest level like everyone else.

Wired868: Do you have any youth coaches in mind?

Corneal: In the last 10 years, you have to talk about Angus Eve, Shawn Cooper, Michael Grayson at the colleges level. And it is not just about results but leadership qualities; and people who know how to prepare programmes and follow through. You want results but you also want people who have the ability to plan, implement and analyse… The ability to carry a staff and plan long term. I can’t say we have a lot but we have some we shouldn’t turn a blind eye to. I think [new Boys National Under-13] Teba McKnight has a lot of potential too but he is going to need guidance.

Wired868: You didn’t mention Trendsetter Hawks coach Anthony ‘Dada’ Wickham…

Corneal: There is probably a role for Dada. I think he has done well when it comes to developing players. He has a gift and I think he has done a tremendous job. As far as [putting him in] an elite setting? Only time can tell you if he will succeed there. But he is a hero to me. He has done it for years through thick or thin, whether his programme is sponsored or isn’t. And I am sure there are others around who have done similar.

But as far as the way the national teams are being run, I am shocked at what is going on now. I have had full control over coach education and that was done successfully. I was involved in the Concacaf Next Play project where we targeted 51 schools; and that was taken care of. It is the things that I did not have control over that we have to look at and see where are they now? We need to have serious discussions about preparation of our national teams. Who are the people making the technical decisions?

Wired868: What input did you have the Boys National Under-15 Team?

Corneal: I had very little to do with them. When I first took up my position as technical director, I was involved in the screening; and I watched 13 sessions [in two and a half years]. I remember asking in an initial meeting why [the Under-15 boys] are playing on Monday night and saying we need to have them play on a Sunday instead. At that time they were 13 years old, so Monday evening would have gotten them home too late with school the next day.

That advice wasn’t taken and my involvement seemed to end right there. I remember approaching the head coach [Stuart Charles-Fevrier] very early to say that the intensity of the sessions needs to be right from the beginning because we are forming habits. And I am still hearing about intensity [being a problem for the Elite team] two years later. How you train is how you play.

Do we expect to win every game? No. But we have to get the players up to their truest potential and let them develop over a period of time. When you lose years—especially your formative years—it is years you can’t get back.

You can’t play trial and error with our nation’s children and the future of our football, especially when you have such a talented bunch like our Boys National Under-15 Team. You can take those chances with a club team but not a national team with youth players. You need people with the right leadership qualities; people who will be the right mentors and role models and who can help them socially as well as on the field.

That programme needs correct persons guiding it with the necessary knowledge of youth development, experience of dealing with elite youth players and the expertise in growth and physical development of young players. I do not know why we are so surprised by these results.

It would be interesting to see what happens going forward with this program as time is of the essence. Habits have now been formed as time is elapsing during the informative years of a young players life. But I am sure they will revisit and analyse and come up with solutions. I hope they do.

Wired868: You helped take two Trinidad and Tobago teams to World Youth Cup tournaments as coach. So how was your advice received?

Corneal: The feedback I got was well we have a way in which we plan to do it. It was like saying it is our turn and we will do it our way, without saying those words.

[…] I hope the right adjustments are made so the players can get to their truest potential. We are hurting them individually and we are hurting our country by not getting our young players ready for the international level.

Wired868: You were still technical director when the U-15s played the four nation tournament at home in July, did Fevrier’s technical review after come to you?

Corneal: No. Like I said, that programme was the best kept secret—maybe because it was the flagship programme. But it should have been under my portfolio as technical director. My only involvement was the sessions I attended and it is difficult to watch when the intensity isn’t right [and] when the players aren’t allowed to make decisions and take responsibility in defence and attack but are told what to do over and over. So players have no personal responsibility, even in training and small-sided games. But I felt I was kept away. Do I try to go in anyway and bully people? Look what happened in the end. Doesn’t it speak for itself?

The coach has spoken now about things that need to change but those things should have been changed two years ago. That means they didn’t have the required experience or weren’t sure about what is supposed to happen at that age group. They were operating by guess. But it is still a year before the qualifiers, so hopefully they can make the adjustments.

Wired868: Did you speak to Elite Programme co-ordinator Gary St Rose?

Corneal: Yes. We have discussed it, especially when it comes to intensity of the game and physical preparation… He played it very safe. (Smiles) That’s all I can say.

But again, Gary was the coordinator of the programme [and] I had very little input, so I can’t tell you much about the programme. What I can tell you is the outcome.

Wired868: And what are your thoughts on the TTFA’s recently launched Under-13 and Under-11 programmes?

Corneal: I know they started an advertisement of an under-11 programme but I find that is so far fetched. Under-11?! That means we don’t understand what we’re doing. Players are still developing at that age and there is so much to be done before you get an elite programme. What you want is academy programmes which have certified coaches to work on their players at that stage. And you have some people who have academies that do well like Anthony Sherwood and Stern [John].

It is only around the age of 13 that you can begin identifying elite players. Under-11 is just too early and for them to not be able to see it that tells you something. It shows that they are guessing. This is not rocket science. What they are doing will break or demotivate academies. Under-13s? Yes. And by Under-15 level, you have more concentrated times with the players. But you don’t take them away from their clubs at 10 and 11 years old.

Wired868: What have you seen at ground zero over the last two years?

Corneal: I think we need to prioritise and more people need to be involved with the budgeting of the football body. It should be the decision of the whole board to see what money is available and how we can direct that money; and it must be an open discussion. I have spoken to so many board members individually and they say all the right things; and when it is time to do it, it is not done. I cannot say why they are afraid to make decisions. The type of people who are supporting the hierarchy [seem] unable to persuade the executive board to make the right decisions and say enough is enough.

[…] I can’t say how many coaches and technical staff members are owed money; I just know for myself. But this is their profession; this is how they exist and feed their families, just like a banker or plumber or fisherman. So we must decide what programmes are important and properly support those programmes […] and make the necessary changes, so at least we can get development back on the road.

The [Men’s National] Senior Team is a reflection of what is happening in our football now. We don’t know all the issues in the Senior Team but I am in town long enough to know there are issues. One of them we know is players are not playing enough… But I don’t comment on the Senior Team because it’s not under my portfolio. My job is to develop players who can feed the Senior Team in eight years or so.

Wired868: Given the complaints from yourself and other coaches and technical persons about the stewardship of TTFA president David John-Williams, are you surprised that he is set to see out his term in office?

Corneal: I am surprised. I am more than surprised, I am shocked. I have to say the problem for me is the people who surround the President; those are the ones who are supposed to assist the President when it comes to making major decisions.

Personally, I feel football can only get better because it is at its worst right now. But we must put country first. We cannot do any more tribal appointments; we have to find the people with the necessary knowledge and experience for all the positions and come up with solutions to make things work. We need professional discussions to fix our football but from what I’ve seen, we are not willing to have those discussions.

I think the last two years have shown me about the type of people we have in this world and that’s the honest truth. You have to appreciate the people who care about the development of football and their country. I thought [former general secretary] Justin Latapy was an amazing human being and in the end he had to stand up for what was right and I have to admire that. But I have learnt about people and their personal agendas. Sometimes you think people don’t have personal agendas but I have seen it as clear as can be.

Right now, I am physically and mentally tired. I can only get involved in Trinidad and Tobago football again if the right people are there. I have been exposed to all sorts of people and yet this was an eye opener for me.

Wired868: If I ask you what stood out for you about the eras that you worked in, what would you say? Let’s start with the Jack Warner era…

Corneal: There was a purpose under Warner. There was a purpose and a direction; and strangely enough there was a support system that supported youth football in that era. Youth football was supported well. Coming out of that era, we had the [senior] World Cup and three World Youth Cups…

Wired868: And the Raymond Tim Kee era?

Corneal: I guess because of all that happened with the Association after the [2006] World Cup, it dampened our football with all the monies that were owed. And that’s when I resigned because of the same financial issues in 2014.

That era was a lot about the [Men’s National] Senior Team. That’s the truth. They were trying to rebuild the image of the Association and a lot of time was spent dealing with the Senior Team. But still remember the Under-20 girls came within one result of a World Youth Cup and were 3-1 up against Costa Rica. And the Senior girls were also one game away from the Women’s World Cup and filled out the [Hasely Crawford] Stadium…

Wired868: And the David John-Williams era?

Corneal: We have a nice hotel.

Wired868: Come again?

Corneal: We have a nice hotel; the Home of Football. That was the priority as far as I could see. Just look at the programmes…


Editor’s Note: After three years and over TT$20 million spent, the TTFA’s Home of Football has still not been officially opened.

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline Deeks

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #201 on: August 19, 2019, 04:36:13 PM »
welcome to the hotel california!

Offline asylumseeker

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #202 on: October 22, 2019, 02:33:06 PM »
Why Anton doh coach in de Pro League?

Offline Tallman

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #203 on: October 22, 2019, 04:13:15 PM »
Why Anton doh coach in de Pro League?

What Pro League?  :devil:
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Offline Tallman

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Corneal ready to move on from salary saga
« Reply #204 on: November 22, 2019, 05:40:50 PM »
Corneal ready to move on from salary saga
By Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday)


ANTON CORNEAL, former T&T youth football team coach, men’s team assistant and T&T Football Association (TTFA) technical director, is ready to move on from the five-and-a-half-year-old saga involving his unpaid salary.

The ex-T&T midfielder/striker, represented by attorney Richard Sirjoo, was awarded $3,488,375, in an oral ruling by Port of Spain High Court judge Vasheist Kokaram on Wednesday.

Corneal quit his role as TTFA technical director on April 2014 – during the tenure of Raymond Tim Kee.

After repeated requests for a resolution from both Tim Kee and his successor David John-Williams, Corneal eventually agreed to return as technical director, providing his outstanding salary was paid.

However, the TTFA told Corneal in July that his contract would not be renewed and he decided to use legal means to recoup what was owed to him.

In a brief interview on Thursday, Corneal said, “I’m glad that this matter is over with. I know it has been years, but I’m happy to put this matter behind me and move on.”

On his financial struggles, Corneal said, “It affected my life, since I wasn’t able to plan properly how to do things.”

This High Court ruling was the third, in successive days, against both the TTFA and its president David John-Williams, who is seeking another four-year term at its executive elections on Sunday.

On Monday, the Venture Credit Union was awarded a $23 million judgment against John-Williams. And on Tuesday, at the Port of Spain High Court, the TTFA was ordered to pay $5 million to ex-TT men’s team coach Stephen Hart for a breach of contract.

Corneal expressed his disappointment at John-Williams's handling of the matter.

“Yes, I felt John-Williams didn’t live up to his end of the bargain, but I don’t want to get into any war of words. I’m just ready to put this matter to rest.”

The 55-year-old Corneal is a lecturer to Caribbean technical directors, for both FIFA and Concacaf, and his next stint will be in St Lucia next week.

He said he will not be turning his back on T&T football.

“I’m still involved, I still help when people have courses. But I’m willing to help if called upon.”
The Conquering Lion of Judah shall break every chain.

Offline Tallman

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #205 on: January 12, 2020, 07:42:35 PM »
WATCH: Former Technical Director, National Coach and Player Anton Corneal tells us about his journey in local football as well as his role as a FIFA and Concacaf Consultant in strategic planning and technical development

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/b_QLeK83zPQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/b_QLeK83zPQ</a>
The Conquering Lion of Judah shall break every chain.

Offline Flex

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #206 on: December 26, 2020, 07:07:44 AM »
‘How can they sleep comfortably?!’ Corneal slams Hadad-led NC on alleged Fevrier payment.
By Lasana Liburd (Wired868).


Former Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) technical director and Fifa coaching instructor Anton Corneal launched a scathing attack on the management style of Fifa-appointed normalisation committee chairman Robert Hadad, as frustrations boil over regarding not only the non-payment of TTFA debts but the behaviour of the new local football boss.

Hadad, the co-CEO of family-owned business HadCo Limited, was hired by Fifa on 27 March with a mandate to:

1. run the TTFA’s daily affairs;

2. establish a debt repayment plan that is implementable by the TTFA;

3. review and amend the TTFA Statutes (and other regulations where necessary) and ensure their compliance with the FIFA Statutes and requirements before duly submitting them for approval to the TTFA Congress;

4. organise and conduct elections of a new TTFA executive committee for a four-year mandate.

He is assisted on the normalisation committee by vice-chair Judy Daniel and ordinary member Nigel Romano. And although they faced resistance from former TTFA president William Wallace up until 25 October, the former elected officers made it clear that they would not interfere with the payment of present and past coaches.

Still, nine months after his appointment, Hadad has not told Corneal when to expect his first payment. In the interim, the technical director is forced to read about the various ways in which the normalisation committee intends to use an unprecedented bumper Fifa pay-out of over US$2 million—including spending on a new football league for Pro League and Trinidad and Tobago Super League (TTSL) clubs.

And Corneal said he hit the roof after being informed that former Men’s National Senior Team assistant coach Stuart Charles-Fevrier was allegedly paid in the vicinity of US$180,000 in recent weeks.

Fevrier, the head coach of the W Connection Football Club owned by former president David John-Williams, worked as assistant to Dennis Lawrence from February 2017 and headed the National Under-15 Team.

Corneal, who won a High Court judgment of TT$3.4 million from the TTFA on 20 November 2019, is furious that he was not higher up the normalisation committee’s queue.

“How can they not see it fit to say ‘listen, this man has been owed for so long, so let us start with him’,” Corneal told Wired868. “This is telling me now about our business people, because this does not go hand in hand with proper leadership. There must be a level of inclusiveness and fairness.

“I pray to God if I am ever placed in a position [of authority], I am not like that. It seems like to work as an administrator in local football, you have to be not transparent, not respectful, and not able and willing to collaborate with all persons. It seems as if you have to be deceitful to be an administrator—that is not of me.

“If these allegations are true then I am so insulted, but I will let my legal people guide me through the process.”

Fevrier, who is on vacation with his family, declined to confirm or deny whether he had been paid off. Instead, he invited Wired868 to direct all questions on the subject to the normalisation committee.

Hadad did not respond to queries on the topic, or whether—as also rumoured—he also approved payments to controversial British clothing supplier Avec Sport and/or salesman Peter Miller.

Former Soca Warriors head coach Dennis Lawrence, according to his agent Mike Berry, remains unpaid for five months as head coach as well as for the balance of his contract, which was due to run until 2022.

“I am sure this sends a horrible message out to players who are aspiring to be national players,” said Berry. “If this is how you treat a national hero who scored the goal to take you to the World Cup, then watch out. Whatever you think about Dennis, if he has a contract and he is not paid what he is due—it is wrong.”

At present, the TTFA is believed to be between TT$50 and $70 million in debt with a list of creditors that includes: Stephen Hart, Kendall Walkes, Russell Latapy, the Board of Inland Revenue, late youth coach Teba McKnight, and a string of hotels and travel agents.

Remarkably, Hadad has even annoyed the coaches and staff members he has paid—or at least is actively trying to compensate.

This morning, a Trinidad Guardian article which stated that coaches and office staff were paid yesterday by the normalisation committee prompted feverish calls to the bank by all concerned. They were all left disappointed and bemused, with Hadad’s assistant, Amiel Mohammed, subsequently explaining that deposits were made but might need time to show on their respective accounts.

“It is so unbecoming for your boss to be relaying information like this through the press, without even sending a note to update his employees,” said one person, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Office staff are expected to be paid until November while technical staff members were promised half-salaries until August. Players will supposedly be paid owed match fees in full.

In Hadad’s first meeting with coaches, seven months ago, he promised that he was only a phone call away. However, several employees, including the steering committee of the football coaches association, since complained that those were empty words.

Corneal confirmed that he was twice sounded out by Hadad about offering his expertise to the normalisation committee, so as to help ‘organise the technical department’—which is led at present by technical director Dion La Foucade.

On both occasions, he said the initial approach was followed by silence and uncertainty.

“Hadad approached me and said they would like me to be part and parcel of the restructuring of the game but nothing has materialised for whatever reason,” said Corneal. “[…] Even that is mind boggling; but then if I don’t understand the magnitude of the game, I might think the same way. I don’t think they understand how [local football] has been affected this year.

“In a way, we are fortunate that the world is on a lockdown so there is no better time to restructure and really think about the long term development of our football. But again that has not happened.

“I am not accustomed to working in a situation where the product of football is being placed on the back burner. We will reap what we sow.

“Whether you are talking about youth football, zone football, elite football, national youth teams, football is on the back burner. If not, it must be a best-kept secret.”

Transparency, good faith, and respect, according to Corneal, are solely lacking from the Fifa-appointed normalisation committee.

“I have been involved in this game for nearly 30 years and the communication now is desperately poor,” said Corneal. “Once communication is poor, it starts to erode trust.  People start doubting, putting question marks, second guessing, coming up with their own opinions.

“[…] Once there is respectful communication, you find those energies will start turning into progress. But again I sit on the outside and I have to divorce myself from assisting the TTFA, and deal with monies that has been owed to me for so long.

“I would never have thought if someone told me before that we would be in December 2020 and I still would not have gotten money. This is the third Christmas I am going through without a dollar [from the TTFA].”

Corneal, who worked as coach for Trinidad and Tobago at the Germany 2006 World Cup and the junior 2007 and 2009 World Cups, described the normalisation committee’s behaviour as a slap in the face for not just him but also the local high court.

He noted too that foreign coaches like Even Pellerud and Wim Rijsbergen turned to Fifa and were paid off, and questioned whether the local football administration was deliberately disrespecting its own coaches.

“I am really concerned about the allegations of monies being paid out by TTFA or the normalisation committee,” he said. “I am sure it will be a concern too for Stephen Hart, Dennis Lawrence, Russell Latapy, Kendall Walkes, Stephen De Four. These are people who sacrificed so much for the game.

“Do you know how many times I missed Carnival or Panorama or Christmas? How many times my family went on holidays without me, or when I did go I was on the computer everyday to the TTFA? Was it worth it?”

Corneal said Trinidad and Tobago’s football will not improve unless it is served by administrators who take up the job for the right reasons.

“I have a judgment against them and they paid people who working for three months and that is okay?” asked Corneal. “I don’t know how those people can rest their heads at night and sleep comfortably. I would not be able to do that.

“I remember on 24 December 1993 when I was working for the Ministry of Sport, and I paid community coaches out of my pocket—because government cheques were coming late and I could not live with them not getting paid before Christmas. So for people to do something like this.

“[…] Wallace wasn’t there long enough to have a chance, so I can’t blame his administration—because he said right away that he would see about me. But us coaches are really being disrespected and change must be made.

“We really have to start doing things the right way with the pillars of strong organisations, which are: honesty, integrity, trust, respect. If they are not there for those reasons then they don’t need to be in those positions.”

The real measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Offline ABTrini

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #207 on: December 27, 2020, 04:35:47 PM »
If these allegations are correct then  the actions are consistent/ " Normal" for anyone entrusted with running the TTFA.
Poor AC he get he nose twisted as he was probably always part of the in crowd but now probably feeling shut out.
Just add this to the o going bacchanalia of how competency is measured withTTFA governance. Maybe the allegations of payments was to another person with the same name but different person.

Offline maxg

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Re: Anton Corneal Thread
« Reply #208 on: December 27, 2020, 04:58:50 PM »
If these allegations are correct then  the actions are consistent/ " Normal" for anyone entrusted with running the TTFA.
Poor AC he get he nose twisted as he was probably always part of the in crowd but now probably feeling shut out.
Just add this to the o going bacchanalia of how competency is measured withTTFA governance. Maybe the allegations of payments was to another person with the same name but different person.
Yuh think he now smelling the coffee or just the Ruby Romans starting to sour....could always try making wine .  :violin:

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Still Waiting: Corneal disappointed TTFA yet to settle $$ debt owed to him
« Reply #209 on: January 10, 2021, 07:51:39 PM »
Still Waiting: Corneal disappointed TTFA yet to settle $$ debt owed to him
By Mark Pouchet (T&T Express)


FORMER technical director of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) Anton Corneal expressed his disappointment with the failure of the Normalisation Committee (NC) to settle up its debt to him, following his successful judgment won in the local High Court since November 2019.

Amid reports that some of their creditors have been paid — including a recent £15,000 settlement to extract the TTFA from a controversial agreement with British clothing supplier, Avec Sports — Corneal was concerned with how the Robert Hadad-led NC was prioritising their debt repayment schedule.

“I can say that was disturbing to me because knowing the history, and I don’t know if how that (debt payment) is going to go, but I have left it up to God and my attorney,” Corneal,a FIFA/CONCACAF instructor, said in an interview on Isports 95.5FM. “Money is going to be paid when they (NC) can work out how to pay the back debts.

“It is something that I have questioned because FIFA funds were always there to pay technical directors (TD), so whatever FIFA funds come again (it) should pay TDs, so it is not really a back debt. It is just pay that people should have been paid with the FIFA funds. That is it in a nutshell.”

Corneal said although he had had discussions with Hadad on the issue, they weren’t very specific and he is about to leave the matter of his $3.4 million judgment in the hands of his attorney.

“My lawyer, I have full respect for what he is doing, he is going to decide what are the next moves. I am not going to decide,” informed Corneal, who worked as coach with three T&T World Cup teams.

“It hurts a lot, I can’t hide it. This is every single day I think about this. I have to think about my kids, my family, my daughter who is in school in the US. What do I do? Do I continue what I was doing in the past, swipe a credit card and pay it off? What is the next move. It is something that, every single day I think about this and then I find out that other people were paid. It is tough, I am not going to fool anyone.”

Corneal said he just wanted the process of the TTFA’s debt settlement to be fair and he wanted no special treatment over the organisations’ other creditors which include Stephen Hart, Dennis Lawrence, Russell Latapy among others.

Asked if he thought his debt would have been settled more quickly if a foreigner, Corneal said: “I don’t know. I hope not because I gave up a lot of my time, personal family time for many years. To think that they would treat a local differently. I hope that we would be beyond that now but you can never tell.”

The former TD has not been inactive since his departure from the TTFA. Last year, Corneal conducted a 3 1/2-month CONCACAF programme in St Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua, and Guyana, assisting those countries in restructuring their association, youth programmes, youth education, standardising of their coach education across the board, and assisting their TDs with long-term development programmes.

Despite the trials and tribulations of the pursuit of his earnings from the TTFA, he is still open to working with the TTFA under a proper structure.

“Of course through discussions, once we could discuss and see there is a place where I can assist and use my experience to guide, I will be happy to assist,” Corneal said. “I am where I am because of T&T football and I must never forget that.”
The Conquering Lion of Judah shall break every chain.

 

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